Floating fish trap



T. O MALLEY FLOATING FISH' TRAP Filed May 5, 1923 2 sheets-sheet 1 INVENTOR f .'/Wa/l i ATTORNEY TUI/ey O .....Ax f,

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MALLEY FLOATING FISH TRAP Mrch 4 1924.

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patented Mar, 4, 1924,

TULLEY OMLLEY, 0F CORDOVA, TRRITOPY OFALASKA.

FLGATING- Application led May 5',

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, TULLEr` OMALLEY born a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland (but who has declared his intention to become a citizen of the United States), residing at Cordova, rerritory of Alaska, have invented a new and useful 1mprovement in Floating Fish Traps, 'of which the following is a specification.

The inventionfresides inthe provision of a new and improved iish trap wherein-is embodied means for eiectively guiding the fish into the trap, for properly anchoring the same the desired distance and position from the shore for effecting the fishing operation, and for the roper emptying thereof at desired interva s.

The invention has for its object to provide a new and improved construction of fish trap wherein is embodied means for positioning the trap in a simple and effective manner with its longitudinal axis at approximate right angles from the shore line, for effectively guiding the fish into the trap for quickly and conveniently emptying the trap of the trapped fish and forV preventing lateral displacement and rolling of the same.

The invention further has for its object the provision of means whereby the trap may be constructed in units or sections so that any one or more of the units, becoming worn, may be readily replaced as a complete unit without necessarily disturbing the trap as a whole. Y l

With the above, and other objects in view, which will be hereinafter fully described, the invention resides in those novel details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts all of whichv will be fully described, then be specifically pointed out in the appended claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in Which: l

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic longitudinal section of my trap in operation.

Figure 2 is a similar' view showing the invention in plan.

Figure 3 is a detail perspective view of the main body portion of the trap unit and the central lead unit, the latter being separated from the former.

Figure i is a detail perspective view of the spiller` unit and illustratesl the spiller and its cooperative mounting.

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Serial No. 636,967,

Figure 5 is a detail perspective view of the cover for the open top of the spiller body.

'i Figure 6 is a diagrammaticA horizontal section illustrating the slidable connection between thel openings of the main body and the spiller. f a

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic central section of the spiller'and illustrates 'the manner in which the same is operated in eifecting the emptying of the trap. In the drawingain which like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all of the figures, I have'illustrated my invention asv manufactured in four distinct elements so that the same may be readily replaced when in need of repairs without/affecting the remainder ofthe trap units. I have divided the invention as follows: A main .body portion, a central lead portion, a spiller and the mounting therefor and the anchoring means. Each ofy these' units will be described in the above order. l Y

lThe main body portion includes side portions 1 gradually converging seaward andv ropes 8 which provide means for mounting a metal` discharge throat 9, hereinafter againV referred to. 1 v

-I provide the main body portion with a pair of oppositely disposed leads 10 which converge toward each other in' a 'seaward direction to provide for effectively-guiding the fish into the heart of the trap body, and the converging net portions of the said .leads are v.spaced apart to'form a doorway 11. Otheropposite leads l2 are provided, properlyspaced from those 10,' and which converge ina like manner to provide a trapping doorway 13 which aligns with the doorway 11 of the leadslQ but-which is of less width. Thesmaller `doorway 13 maybe properly held open by cross bars 14. The main body portion ofthe trap also includes an upper medial trap supporting rope 1-5 Vand a lower medial trap Ysupporting rope 16 and each of said ropes, extending cen- 'trallyv of the trap body, projects slightly beyond the'converging lpoints of the leads to form connecting loops'l?, and similarly at Vtheir seaward ends to form similar loops 18.V Y l Y y YThe body portion includes a top portion 19 Which conforms in shape'to the border formed by the upper ropes2, 7 and those of the leads 107, and 2O designates the bottomV portion which Vis similar in shape to the top except that it extends at 21 toY a line ap'- proximating'the point at which the leads 10 join the loops 2. All of the various top border ropes 15, 2, 10, 12 are provided With floats 22 vfor properly holding the trap in the desired submerged position with the topv seaward end thereof is designed to cooperate With' the door 11 formed by the leadsV 1O,as is clearly shown 1n Figures 2 and 3.V

rlhe border ropes 23 are `extended. seaward beyond thonet 24 and are' provided with loop portions 25 adaptedv to be joined with the loops 17 of the ropes land 16 of the .Vniain body hereinbefore described. The 1 said Vropes 23 extend shoreivard slightly beyond the net 24, as at 26,'Where they are fixedly lashed toa spacer pole 27 adapted to hold the said main lead` member in proper spaced position, and the said ropes furtherextend shoreivard to provide a connecting loop 23. The upper border rope 23 is provided with aplurality of floatmembers 2.9 (see Figures l, 2Vand 3).

In the practical development of my spiller and the mounting therefor, I providea pair of upper horizontal spacer poles V30 to which are securely lashed tWo of the sides of a substantially square spiller body supporting border rope 31. Lower horizontal spaced poles 32 are provided and the one thereof which is the nearest to the shore is provided with end extensions 33, with pulley and rope connections 34 and the one end Vof the said rope of each end extension is secured to a iioat member, While the other or loose end 36 is adapted to be utilized in effecting adjustment of the `float with relation to the said spacerrpole 32 to prevent rolling of the trap in a man ner hereinafter referred to.

37 designates a central connectin,: rope fixed to the lower horizontal spacerv poles 32' and extending in the seaward direction i, beyond the said poles to be securelylashed lt vmay exto a vertical-centrally disposed spacer pole 38. Bottom sideY ropes: 39 are "securely lashed to the said poles 32,V see Figure 4, and the said ropes Y39 extend beyond in a seavvard direction to the poles V32V and converge to be securely lashed to the pole 38 from whence they further-extend to form" a connecting'v loop 41. rThe upper endrof the pole 38 is secured toc-the upper horizontal spacer pole 30 nearest thereto through the means of the converging rope connec-. tions 40.

Thespillerbody 42 is suspended VVfrom a Vrope 43 whichl forms a border foret-he open.

top of the same, which said rope 43 issecurely lashed to .the border rope 31 in turn securely lashed to the horizontal spacer poles 30, as hereinbefore described. The open top of the spacer is suitably covered during the fishing operation bya cover 44 which` is provided with securing means 45 in the nature of snap fasteners for engaging the border ropes31- and 43; lt Will be readily Y understood that the corner loop connections ofthe cover 44 may be dispensed With, if desired, so that the said :cover Will be se-Y Y cured only to the border loop 43 of the spiller body, so that the cover may be leftV onthe spiller body and the Whole removed intact to be later opened and emptied, as desired. rlheV spiller body 42 is further bound and strengthei'ied by Va bottom border rope 46,1corner ropes 47 and medial ropes 48, the latterV being designed to strengthen the opening, 49, of the said spiller body, Vwhich is adapted to register with the metal throat 9 of the `inain trap body.

By reference to Figures 3 and 6, it Will be noticed that themetal throat 9 ofthe main body is inthe nature of a Wire frame with straight metal sides having apertures adapted to facilitate lashing to the ropes 8,

-as shown in the said figures, and witlrguidguideway for the open connectingfrings 59 c secured to the ropes 43 bounding the opening 49 to the spiller. Y l/Vhen the parts just described are f cooperatively joined, illustrate'd in Figure 6, the rings 5G slidably. engage the metal throat 9 in a manner Where by the saidY throatway Vis held in conimunication with the opening 49 into thefspiller, when the parts are in operative condition, and Which 'permit Vupward sliding and. removal therefrom of the said ring connections When the spiller body is being're moved in effecting the emptying of the trapped sh. A tunnel 51 extends from the spiller opening 49 inwardly into the saidV spiller and, for properly holding the said tunnell open in operative position, and for Y thereof being secured as at 53 to the seaward pole 30, and the lower one thereof being adjustably secured by a rope 54 which takes overa sheave block 55 secured centrally to the seaward one of the lower spacer poles 32 and upward so that its free end may be securely fixed adjacent the connection 53. In this manner the tunnel may be held open during the operation of fishing to permit the ready entry of the fish from the heart of the trap into the spiller body and may be allowed to collapse to form a vertical closure of the opening 49 so as to prevent any of the trapped fish from e-scaping therethrough while the spiller body is being removed to be emptied.

For properly effecting the convenient emptying of the trapped fish Within the spiller, I provide sheave blocks 56 secured to the lower spacer poles 32, and adjusting rope connections 57, one end thereof being secured to the respective bottom corner of the spiller body 42, and being extended around the sheave block 56 and upward to the respective pole end 30 and where it may be fixed thereto when the parts are in operative condition. It will be readily understood that by drawing these four rope ends taut and securing the said ends thereof to the spacer poles 30, thebottom corners of the spiller will be securely held down thereby to edectively hold the spiller body 42 in its' operative condition, see Figure 4. It will also be obvious that by untyingthe ends, as is shown in Figure 4, and disconnecting whatever lashing means is used for securing the borderrope 43 of the spiller body 42l with the supporting border rope 35 therefor, the whole boly portion 42 of the spiller may be entirely removed from its mounting to effect the proper emptying of the trapped fish contained therein, (it being understood that the connections 53 and 54 for holding the tunnel taut have previously been released). It will also be apparent that in thus removing the spiller body the open ring connections 50 ride up the guiding portions of the metal throatway 9 and are slipped off the top portion thereof, that the entire body may be removed and placed upon a boat and taken to a distant place to be removed, or may be but partially removed to effect the emptying thereof, that is by removing the said spiller body only such distance through the top border 31 as is necessary to effect the emptying thereof into a convenient boat, in which case the rope connections 57 and 53 will be provided with sufficient surplus so that they will re-v main in operative relation with their respective pulleys to effect the ready readjustment of the spiller body to its operative relation.

It will be readily understood by reference to Figures 3 and 4 that when the main body unit is cooperatively joined with the spiller body mounting, the connecting loops 5 and 18 of the upper portion of the trap body will be securely lashed to the adjacent spacer pole 30 of the said mounting, while the connecting loops 5 and 18 of the lower portion of the trap body will be securely lashed, at the points indicated by dotted lines, to the adjacent spacer pole 32.

In the practical development of my anchoring means whereby the trap is suitably anchored, the desired distance from the shore and in the desired relation thereto, I provide a shorewardly extended central anchoring means in the nature of a rope or cable 58 lashed in any desired manner to the connecting loop 28 provided at the shoreward end of the main or central lead meme ber. The said anchoring means extends shoreward in longitudinal-alignment with the axis of the trap body and is provided at its end with an anchoring' means 59 so thatthe same may cooperate with a seawardly extended anchoring means 60 lashedV in any desired way to the connecting loop 41, hereinbefore referred to, and also provided with an anchoring means 61, for effecting the desired anchoring of the trap body through its longitudinal axis.

The last named anchoring means 60 is provided with a plurality of float members 62 adapted to support that end of the said anchoring means 60 which is adjacent the trap so as to hold the said anchoring means in the proper cooperative relation with the said trap body. While it is desired that thek shoreward end of the trap, the medial spacer pole 27 thereof, be positioned at a point approximating the loW water mark (that is, the point at which the length of the pole 27 will approximate theV depth of the waterA at low tide) it will be readily understood that the trap may bev positioned a greater distance from theshore, in which case float members may also be used in connection with the line 58 if it should be found necessary to supplement the function of the floats 29 which support the main central lead net 24.

It will be readily `understood that when the units thus far described have been cooperatively joined, the anchoring line 58, the border ropes 23, the ropes 15 and 16, the ropes 37, 39, 40 and the anchoring line 60, form what might be termed a main anchoring line projecting through the central vertical plane or axis of the trap proper so as to form a practical means for holding the trap positioned in the desired line (controlled by the position of the anchors '59 and GO).

For securing the shoreward end of the trap body I provide a pair of anchoring lines 63 which may be lashed in any way desired to the connecting loops 4 of the trap body sides 1 and which extend shoreward in lles ese?

an angled direction and which are provided with anchoring means 6e to effect the proper anchoring of the said lines to hold the said open end of the trap body in operative condition.

lt Will also be understood that the anchoring ends of all ot the various Ylines 63, and 58 may be provided with chain portions or cable lengths spliced thereinto to prevent Wear, due to slight shifting on the sand.

By reason of the anchoring means before described, it will be readily understood that the trap is tixedly positioned the desired distance from the shore, in the desired longitudinal relation with the shore, and in the desired condition for effecting, practically Vthe operation tor which it is designed, and

the said' trap is suspended from the surface of the Water, and in a manner VWhica prevents lateral rolling, by ioat members, as before described.

It Will be apparent from Figures 1, 2 and l that when the parts are operatively connected and anchored, as shown in the said Figures 1 and 2, the iioat members through their rope and pulley connections 84, with the extended ends 83 of the shorevvard spacer pole 32, Vovercome any tendency A of the trap to'roll laterally, it being understood that the free ends 36 ot the rope connections 34 are securely fixed to either the top oil:` the respective seaivard pole 3 or the spacer pole 30, as may be desired.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection With the accompanying drawings, it is thought the complete construction,

operation and-advantages of my invention Will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art.

The present application discloses matterV in common between it and my previous application tiled February 14, 1921, Serial No.

' aimee.

said poles being provided with end eXten-` sions and adjustable floats, and a spiller removably cooperative with said trap body.

2. A trap, comprising a trap body having Van entrance and an exit, leads in said trap body, a spiller removably cooperative with the exit of the said trap body, spacer poles for holding portions oi the trap body properly spaced, at least one of said poles being provided with end extensions and adjustable floats for preventing lateral rolling of the said trap body, means for anchoring the trap in proper position, said means coniprising a main' carrying line extending through the central vertical plane Vot the trap body and being secured to the converging points of said leads, including a `main central lead portion, and having means at its opposite ends whereby it'may be anchored for locating the trap in proper position and j buoyant members thereon. l Y y 3. A trap, comprising a trapl body having an entrance at one end and an exit at the other end, a metal throativay bordering' said exit, leads extending inward of the .entrant end ot said trapv body and spaced to provide aligning openings, a spiller body, a supporting mounting therefor, having an opening therein, open rings secured to said spiller bodyfiior slidably engaging the metal throativay, a. tunnel adapted normally to register with the said metal throativay and projecting inwardly into the spiller body, means for holding the spiller body taut, means tor holding the tunnel tant, and means lor anchoring the trap in proper position.

'-1. A. trap, comprising a trap body having an entrance at one end and an exit at the other end, a metal throativay bordering said exit, leads extending inward ot the entrant end, ot said trap body and spacedv to provide aligning openings, a spillerbody, a supporting mount-ing therefor, having an opening therein, open rings secured to said spiller body tor slidably engaging Vthe Vmetal throativay, a tunnel adapted normally to register with the said met-al throatWay and projecting inwardly into the spiller body, means tor holding the spiller body taut, means for holding the tunnel taut, means 'tor anchoring the trap in proper position, said means comprising a main carrying line extending through the central vertical plane of the trap body, including a main central lead portion, and having means at its opposite ends whereby it may be anchored for locating the trap in proper position and buoyant members thereon.

5. A. trap, comprising a trap body having an entrance at one end andan exit at the other end, a metal throativay bordering said exit, leads extending inward of the entrant end of said t'ap` body and spaced to provide aligning openings, aV spiller body, a supporting mounting therefor, having an opening therein, open rings.I secured to said spiller body for slidablyengaging the metal throatvvay, ay tunnel Yadapted normally to register with the said metal throatway Vand projecting inwardly into the spiller body, means for holdingv the spiller body taut, means i'or holding the tunneltaut, means for anchoring the trap in proper position, said means comprising a main carryingline extending through the central vertical plane of the trap body, includinga main central lead portion, having means at its opposite ends whereby it may be anchored Jfor locating the trap in proper position and buoyant members thereon, Spacer poles for holding portions of the trap body properly spaced, at least one of said poles being provided With end extensions and adjustable floats for preventing lateral rolling of the said trap body. l

6. A trap comprising the following separable units of construction; a main body including leads, an entrant end, an eXit end, float members, and connecting loops; a main lead member including loats and connecting loops; a spiller mounting, carrying a removable spiller having an opening` and including connecting loops; and anchoring means for holding the assembled trap in proper position and which includes shore lines and main centrally disposed carrying lines, at least one of which is provided with float members.

7. A trap, comprising a trap body having an entrant end and an exit end, leads in said trap body, a spiller body, a mounting for said spiller body, a ltunnel in said' spiller body adapted to be normally in communication with the exit of the trap body, means for holding the spiller body taut, means for holding the tunnel taut, means :tor slidably and removably joining the entrant end ofthe tunnel with the exit of the trap body, and means for anchoring the trap in proper position. o

8. A trap comprising a trap body having an entrant end and an exit end, leads in said trap body, a spiller body, a mounting for said spiller body, a tunnel in said spiller body adapted to be normally in communication with the exit of trap body, means for holding the spiller body taut, means orholding thev tunnel taut, means for slidably and removably joining the entrant end of the tunnel with the exit of the trap body, means for anchoring the trap in proper position, said means comprising a main carrying line extending through the central vertical plane of the trap body, including a main central lead portion, and having means at its oppofsite ends whereby it may beanchored for loholding'the spiller body taut, means for.

holding the tunnel taut, means for slidably and removably joining the entrant end Vof thel tunnel with the exit ot the trap body,

means for anchoring the trap in proper position, said means comprising a main oarrying line extending through the central vertical plane of the 'trap body, ,including a main central lead portion, and having means at its opposite ends whereby it may be anchored for locating the trap in proper p osition and buoyant members thereon.

TULLEY oMALLEr.l 

